Help!!!!

Maybe you installed the check valve backwards?

how did the rubber melt? double check the direction of the valve.

G~

If the check valve is installed correctly, try this. Take a piece if airline tubing about 2' long andshove it up into the high point of the overflow. Suck on the tubing to draw out all the air. Turn the return pump on and it should start. If you can't draw the air out, the check valve is probably in wrong or defective. Bob

The valve is installed correctly, first thing that I checked.

I think the rubber just got really hot. The valve sits right below my exhaust fans. That's the only explanation that I could come up with. The hole is about the size of a BB, so what ever it was really cooked it.

Lucky for me, I went over to SAWCJACKS to get a couple of frags and he had a U tube type laying around, so this problem is fixed. I do want to get the Weir working again,. so I'll try the tubing.

The tubing is a great idea..or..if you can, get a strong powerhead and project the powerhead into the the piping to help kickstart the siphoning.

Just a note of caution, try sucking the air out with the venturi on one of the powerheads rather than sticking the tube in your mouth (OK, for Cath's sake I have to say, "do as I say, not as I do..." ). The counts of potentially pathogenic bacteria are HUGE in most home aquaria, so if for no other reason than to avoid a bout of diarrhea, try the venturi idea first, or use a syringe attached to the end of the hose instead.

JM2 cents...